The project, estimated at GH¢25 million, involved the replacement of the pumps at various strategic areas such as the Axim, Bosomase and Inchaban intakes.
The project is expected to improve water treatment and supply in the area.

Low capacity

Prior to the rehabilitation works, the facility, with original operational capacity of more than six million gallons, dropped to four million gallons  of water a day due to the obsolete equipment coupled with illegal mining activities.

The situation led to rationing of water to customers in the metropolis while some communities did not receive water at all.

Since the replacement of the equipment, however, water supply in the metropolis has improved.

Population growth

There has been an increase in demand for water in the area due to population growth as a result of the expansion of the Takoradi port and commercial oil and gas activities in the metropolis.

Speaking during a tour of the facility, the Regional General Manager of the GWCL, Nii Teiko Cudjo, said with the installed facility, more water would be pumped to customers.

“With the installation, we will be in the position to pump about 5.5 million gallons to customers in Takoradi, which depends on Daboase and also double the supply to the Sekondi township,” he said.

On the quality of the water, Nii Cudjo noted that the operations of the anti-galamsey task force had helped in reducing the cost of operations, adding, “Before the ban on illegal mining, the turbidity level of the water to the intake was about 3,000,  Neophenometric Turbidity Units (NTU)?which was very bad.

“But as we speak now, the turbidity or the cloudy nature of the water has been reduced to less than 1,000 NTU?and that will not only improve our treatment process but also reduce breakdowns and frequency of our maintenance schedules and associated cost,” the manager stated.

Man and water

For her part, the Deputy Western Regional Minister, Ms Gifty Kusi Appiah, said several economic activities required water to facilitate.

She said with the discovery of oil and its associated commercial activities, it became necessary to rehabilitate the plant to improve business activities to generate employment for economic growth.

The minister commended the GWCL team for their commitment to work and urged them to keep to the maintenance schedules to ensure long lifespan of the facilities.